Al-Hilal Maintains Perfect Start with New Left-Sided Axis
Al-Hilal’s perfect start rolls on. Five games, five wins, another Riyadh derby handled with authority. And as the champions-in-waiting narrative gathers pace, Simone Inzaghi is already sketching out his next evolution: a left-sided storm built around Gabriel Martinelli and Crysencio Summerville.
Martinelli–Summerville: A new left-sided axis
Martinelli’s Al-Hilal debut came under the Friday night lights at SHG Arena, stepping off the bench in the 2-0 victory over Al-Shabab in the fifth round of the Saudi Roshn League. It was a gentle introduction on the scoreboard, but a loud statement in Inzaghi’s post-match plans.
The Italian coach sees the Brazilian and the Dutchman as twin threats who can both gravitate to the left, but he has no intention of boxing either into a single role.
Asked which of the two would occupy the right flank in the coming matches, Inzaghi was clear: both are options.
“Both players can play on the right side with complete ease,” he said, underlining their flexibility rather than creating a hierarchy.
He used the derby to test that versatility. “Today we brought Martinelli in on the right, and after (Sabri) Dahl came on I sent him to play on the left side, and they will be rotated in the upcoming matches,” he explained. The message was obvious: no fixed lanes, no comfort zones. Al-Hilal’s wide men will move, swap, and drag markers into places they do not want to go.
Market open, defence under review
While the attack looks stacked and fluid, Inzaghi’s gaze keeps drifting backwards. The transfer window remains open, and he made no attempt to hide where he wants help.
“The market is still open, and the sporting management is doing a great job in the transfer market. We have a need in the defensive line, and we are working on that,” he said.
It is not a vague concern. It is rooted in the reality of his current options and the physical state of his back line.
Right-back headache and makeshift solutions
The right side of defence is clearly his biggest headache.
“We have a kind of struggle in the right-back position,” Inzaghi admitted. That struggle has forced him to lean heavily on Mohammed Mahzari, a player he has tracked closely.
“I have been monitoring (Mohammed) Mahzari since last season, and he has covered a lot of the shortfall in this position. He is a great player who gives everything he has.”
Mahzari’s commitment has bought Inzaghi time, but not comfort. Reinforcements are already being shaped from within.
“We are waiting for the return of Hamad Al-Yami, and we are also working on preparing Sabri Dahl to be a player in the same position, even though his position is right wing,” he said. It is a coach’s compromise: turn an attacker into cover, because the squad balance demands it.
Fatigue, not fear, in Tambakti change
Even in a largely controlled derby, the sight of Hassan Tambakti leaving the pitch might have raised alarms. Inzaghi moved quickly to calm them.
“After his two-month injury, he took part in five training sessions and wanted to feature in the Al-Ahli match, but he played today, and his substitution was not due to injury, only because of fatigue,” he clarified.
It was a reminder of how finely tuned this squad management must be. Tambakti is just back, others are still out, and the games keep coming.
“Ali Lajami is injured, we hope he returns as soon as possible. We have a struggle in the defensive line, and we are trying to cover this shortfall, and we have Meshaal Al-Dawood,” Inzaghi added, listing the moving parts in a back line that is holding firm but running thin.
Focus, control, and a draining schedule
On the night itself, Al-Hilal did not look like a team patched together. They looked ruthless.
“We were very focused, we came out strong and controlled the atmosphere of the match,” Inzaghi said. The context matters: they arrived from a draining clash with Al-Ahli, energy already taxed, and ran into an Al-Shabab side with serious weapons in midfield and attack.
“We came back from the Al-Ahli fixture with our energy drained, and today we faced a very strong team in midfield and attack,” he noted. The response was a professional, measured performance that never really allowed the derby to slip from their grip.
Top of the table, eyes on the chase
The victory keeps Al-Hilal perfect: five wins from five, 15 points, and a three-point cushion over Al-Nassr at the top of the Roshn League. The rivals still have to navigate a clasico against Al-Ittihad on Saturday, a fixture that could either tighten the race or hand Inzaghi early breathing space.
For now, Al-Hilal sit where they expect to be: on top, winning, and still demanding more. The attack is being refined, the defence is being rebuilt on the fly, and Martinelli has already stepped onto the stage.
If this is Al-Hilal still searching for balance, what happens when Inzaghi finally gets the defender he wants and the full-back he needs?
